Helpless
by Raggs Princess
Summary: Ed and Al have their bodies back, but Ed is still working for Mustang. Mustang sends Ed to find a serial killer, but when things take a turn for the worse how will Roy's team react when they realize they're too late. DO NOT READ IF SAD OR DEPRESSED! one shot. T for some language.


**A/N. DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE SAD OR DEPRESSED!**

~Ed's POV~

It had started out as a routine mission I thought, but when I arrived something was just off about the town. The people were too cheery, too polite. I had started to wonder if I was crazy because I didn't get kicked out of the hotel when I said I was a state alchemist. I was laying on my bed stretched out thinking about the mission Colonel Bastard had given me. I had to leave Al behind, and journey by myself the mission was a one man stealth operation, do recon on the inhabitants, and report any strange findings to the Colonel ASAP. Sure, I had done stuff without Al before, but this was too quiet, usually on stealth missions I have to figure out what's going on behind the scenes through other people, but this time I couldn't pick up on even a clue. The Intel was fuzzy too, the most that the report told me was the disappearances happening, but no one had seen the kidnapper/ killer, because some of the bodies turned up months later with multiple stab wounds and signs of being electrocuted. I let my mind wander to Al (**Quick A/N. This is set after Al and Ed get their bodies back, but Ed can still use alchemy Post Promise Day**). I let myself think of his smile and his form disappearing as the train took me farther away from my little brother. _No, I have to find this guy and stop him. I'll think of Al after I do this mission._ I pull myself up into a seated position and put my head in my hands, then let my left arms fingers find the scar of the automail surgery that had happened so many years ago.

…

~Mustang's POV~

To be honest I was worried for the kid, although I would never admit it out loud. I had sent him in searching for Intel on a murderer, I hope I didn't send him to his death. I was lost in thoughts when a sound penetrated my deepest thoughts, "ROY!" Hawkeye pulled me out of my stupor.

"Yes Lieutenant?" I sigh knowing that she would shoot me if I hadn't responded to her.

"There is someone here to see you," Worry dances in her eyes, but to anyone who didn't know her as long they would just see cool impassivity. I gave her a small almost unseen reassuring smile as she let the person in. My eyes almost, almost widened in surprise as Lieutenant Colonel Archer stepped in front of me.

"Hello, Colonel Mustang," he sneered

"Hello, Lieutenant Colonel," making sure to emphasize the fact the he was lower on me on the ladder of power. (**If I got that wrong sorry, but on with the story**) He twitched ever so slightly, but made sure to compose himself. His smirk widened into a smile of downright mad joy as he asked me, "Do you know what is happening to Ed at this moment Colonel?"

…

~Third person omniscient (Ed)~

He shook the blond locks out of his eyes and saw the next punch coming in time to avoid it. This had been going on for three hours now, and Ed was almost completely drained while his attackers kept coming at him with renewed strength. It was a 4 on 1 fight, something he could've easily handled had he not been asleep when they came at him. It was 5 in the morning, and when another burst of adrenaline roared through him Ed ran, granted it was not like him to run, but his arms felt like rubber, he was sure ribs were broken, and he was one huge walking bruise that had grown legs. He turned out of the alleyway and ran and ran and ran, until he was sure he had lost his attackers for a little while at least. He encountered a phone booth and dashed into it giving his code and hoping he would have enough time to get to Mustang. He wasn't sure what he did wrong but people were out to kill him and that's ALL he knew.

"Roy Mustang," he sounded bored like always.

"Bastard, something's very wrong down here. This town… It's not normal. The people they're too nice, and they didn't even throw me out of the hotel when I said STATE ALCHEMIST. And people are ALREADY trying to kill me. I haven't even pissed anyone off yet,"

"Fullmetal slow down, and breathe,"

"Colonel, there are people trying to kill me, and you're telling me to calm down," Mustang put his face in his hands, and tried to process what was going on, but before he could answer the next sound through the phone threw him into high alert, "HEY GET AWAY FROM ME! NO AAAGGHHH," the phone clattered to the pavement, and Roy shot up.

"If you want to see him again, give up the search,"

"You bastard where are you?" Roy demanded, and his team hearing the commotion ran into his office concerned faces all around.

"You know where," said the mysterious voice. Roy was about to shout a reply into the phone when it clicked off, Roy only listened to the dial tone for a second before slamming the phone down and rushing out the door pulling his ignition gloves on.

"We're going, Fullmetal's in trouble," The team didn't question it and just followed him to the train station.

…

~Ed's POV~

I struggled to open my eyes, I feel something in my mouth, but when I try to spit it out it doesn't come out. My arms are tied to make me in a starfish shape, I realize there's cold metal on my back, and I realize that these perverts had stripped me. A man's face appears in front of me wrenching my face to his. I wince but cover it up not letting these guys see any of my weaknesses. The guy's eyes dance with maliciousness and greed his smirk grows into a deformed smile. I show no fear in my eyes, only determination and defiance. The gag is torn out of my mouth. My lungs fill with fresh air, but a punch to my stomach sends me gasping for air.

"Now, let me ask you this, what does the military benefit from sending you here," The man had a thick Creatin accent this is the only thing that my mind processes before I answer, "Don't….. know…" I wheeze, I won't give this guy any answers. A knife appears in the man's hand and it slices down my bare chest, "Tell me now," The man demands.

"Like hell I'd tell you," I spat into the man's face,

The knife dug deeper into the flesh and I wince again, but I will not break. I can't I won't let Al be alone in the world just when we got our bodies back.

"Tell me about the Eastern City's defenses," the man drug the knife from my chest to my right arm, the man caught a vein and blood was spilling out of my arm fast. I was going to bleed out, but if I relaxed my arm it wouldn't fast.

"No," My defiance clear in my eyes.

"No? Alright, then you know nothing apparently. Prepare the meeting room for when they come and get him," The man turned to me and added, "That's where we'll kill him," and that's when I let my eyes show the tiniest bit of fear. They were going to kill me, and I was powerless to get out, I couldn't transmutate and I was helpless, I could only hope Roy would find me in time as a blindfold and gag went around my face.

…

~Third person omniscient (Roy)~

The entire team piled out of the train and looked to Roy for commands.

"This is an extraction, we grab Fullmetal, and shoot non-lethaly, but if we need to we need to," The team nodded and was about to disperse when they heard a voice behind them, "Come with me if you want your kid back," Roy turned around to find a man much older than him, with a thick Cretian accent, the same one that Roy had heard on the phone. Roy's team flanked him as they followed the man that knew where Ed was, and was their only chance of finding him. The man led them through several streets, and Hawkeye made sure to memorize each one in case they had to make a quick escape. The man led them down more twists and turns and eventually came to a building complex, and when they had reached the 2nd floor the man opened the 4th door on the left and ushered them inside. Roy saw Fullmetal lying in a crumpled heap in the middle of the floor. The team wasn't restrained as they went to Ed's side Roy turned and saw three men with guns trained on his team. He snapped right over Riza's head and the guns smoked and were useless, almost immediately his subordinates formed a defensive circle around Ed with weapons drawn, the only one with a weapon not drawn was Fuery tending to Ed. Roy felt a spark of pride for his team, but it was gone as soon as Ed regained consciousness and coughed up a lot of blood. Fuery immediately looked Ed over for wounds, and found a giant stab wound in the middle of his abdomen that tore his stomach to shreds. Riza turned and saw the wound and her face paled at the sight

"Colonel…..trap…..need to… get…out," Ed wheezed and coughed more blood. The team was about to pick him up while Roy's face boiled with rage sending the men in the room aflame, but Ed fell through a trapdoor that had suddenly appeared and snapped shut before anyone could reach him.

~Ed's POV~

I felt hands touch me, I was sure I had been drugged and beaten before I was thrown onto a carpet, and when I heard footsteps I dragged my eyes open and saw Fuery over me, they had come to rescue me, though it was too late I had to try and warn the Colonel, even though I couldn't see him from my position I felt the heat of flames over my head, and I had to warn him, with the last strength I had I told him to get out, but before I knew what was happening I felt a falling sensation, and it kept going on, I felt like I was weightless for a time, but I realized the pain was making me delirious. The pain from the impact of the hard concrete shocked me to my senses, and my mind told my body to get up and run. The hairs on the back of my head were standing up, and I had to get out of this hellhole and get to Al. I slap my hands down on the concrete and pull up an ornate spear, something that was good long range and short range attacks. I stumble out into a dimly lit hallway and realize I'm in a basement. I limp down the hallway and try to stay in the shadows as much as possible. There's thumping footsteps, and I see Archer, _what the hell is Archer doing here?_ I think. The smirk that crosses his face when he spots me sends a chill down my spine, I hoist the spear and throw it. Archer dodges it swiftly and the person behind him is hit in the abdomen, I back up until I feel a set of stairs tripping my progress. Without looking behind me I dash up the stairs and turn a corner and I realize I'm in a building complex. Confusion clouds my escape plan, and a knife sinks itself into my chest with the tip…sticking out of my ribcage. I turn and see Archer with an evil grin on his face, I jump at him and squeeze his neck as hard as I can, and hearing snapping, but archer pushes me off of him.

His hands are stained with my blood and he grabs hold of the knife in my back and twists it and pulls it up slicing even more of my flesh. I let out a scream, and hear someone shout my name, but I couldn't distinguish it from my own screams of pain, I squeeze harder fighting for my life, the blood loss is making me lightheaded, keep myself awake to yell at Archer, "Why? Why? Why did you join with the Cretians?"

"The money," The two words shock me and Archer takes the time to dig the knife even deeper, he was getting too close to my heart, I had to finish this.

"Fullmetal!" the shout from Roy shakes me into determination and I know he heard what I heard, I squeeze harder and the man's eyes roll upward, but his pulse stays there, I stumble upward and see Roy, Riza, Havoc, Breda, Falman, and Fuery, I give a grimace of a smile and collapse under my own weight, the last thing I hear is cries of worry before I drift away. I smile and whisper, "I love you Al…"

~Third person omniscent~

Roy was helpless to do anything as the brutal fight between his subordinate and the Lieutenant Colonel. The man had stabbed Fullmetal too close to his heart, and Roy could only watch as Fullmetal fended off the older man.

Riza was helpless and couldn't do anything besides watch the brutal scene, she wanted to look away but she forced herself to watch. Her attention was grabbed as Edward shouted at the older man for joining the Cretains and betraying his country. His answer was the most shocking thing. Archer uses Ed's distracted look to dig the knife deeper into the boy. Ed squeezed the last of his strength into his hands and strangled Archer in order to protect himself.

The whole team stood in shock as Ed gave them a reassuring grimace, and fell to the ground. Choruses of "ED!" rang throughout the hall. Roy was the first one next to Ed checking his pulse.

~Roy's POV~

My face paled as I reached Ed and I heard his words, 'I love you Al,' they ring through my head as I kneel down, and check his pulse. The color in my face couldn't have drained any more than it already had, but it did as I failed to find Fullmetal's pulse. I sat back on my heels and let a single tear roll down my cheek as my team appeared behind me. Riza let out a choked sob, Havoc just looked down at the boy with Breda and Falman, and Fuery was the worst of all, Fuery couldn't control his sadness and anger as he rose and shot Archer in the legs, so when he woke up he couldn't run away. Havoc let his hand rest on Fuery's shoulder calming him down to silent rage. I stood up cradling the dead boy in my arms, Hawkeye looks at me concerned, but I ignore her and wonder how I'm going to tell Al.

…

~Still Roy's POV~

The funeral was fairly short, Ed had been moved up to the rank of Colonel, and I insisted that he was buried in Resembool. Winry stood in front of Ed's grave crying into Al. Al had given up crying and was fuming at me for sending Ed on the dangerous mission. I couldn't blame him for being mad, I couldn't even forgive myself. I had watched Ed die, and I couldn't do anything. I still hadn't told him Ed's last words. The sun was going down, and Al and I were the only ones left looking at Ed's grave.

"His last words….what…what were they?" Al asked through gritted teeth as if breathing pained him.

"His final words were, 'I love you Al,'" I never looked away from the grave, but I could feel Alphonse's eyes stare into me. I could barely hear him whisper, "I love you too brother,"

**A/N. I know I'm a horrible person for killing Ed off, but in my defense it took me almost a week to write this, because I procrastinated, and I went in a little too deep I think, so please don't kill me after you finish this author's note. Also read my story Rose Alchemist, always looking for reviews, and new readers. It is not as sad as this one.**


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